


Illness

by Burgie



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: M/M, Male WoL, hrothgar WoL
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:26:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26230381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: When Jack is struck down by a cold, Urianger is there to help.
Relationships: Urianger Augurelt/Warrior of Light
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	Illness

**Author's Note:**

  * For [spotty_lion](https://archiveofourown.org/users/spotty_lion/gifts).



Urianger was ever the caring one. Ever the first to notice when a friend had fallen ill, or a stranger was poor in health. It came naturally, after all, to one who had initially found his calling among the tomes of first the arcanists and then the scholars, once the stones of that ancient art had been unearthed. But even outside of his chosen role as healer, Urianger always paid close attention to the health of his loved ones.

Especially when said loved one had a terrible habit of hiding his illness, or of working through it, until the point where he collapsed. The weight of the world weighed heavy, even on the shoulders of a tall and strong Hrothgar, who could hold the power of the stars themselves in his paws.

And so it was that Jack lay in bed now, looking and feeling rather sorry for himself, running a fever so high that he swore to the Twelve that his fur may either roast him alive or melt off with sweat. Indeed, his fur was damp with sweat, creating not just an unpleasant feeling for the Hrothgar but an unpleasant smell, too. Not that he could smell it in his current state, of course, the senses of taste and smell stolen from him by the illness that yet ravaged his system.

“’m sorry, Ducky,” Jack managed to rasp out as Urianger fought to stifle the urge to pinch his nose closed against the smell of wet fur. The stench of illness.

“Nay, Jack, pray do not apologise for thine illness,” said Urianger. “Twas not your failings that allowed the illness to creep in.” Jack grunted, though a cough soon worked its way free, tearing at his throat, his sinuses fairly aching.

“I should’ve rested,” Jack managed to rasp out, his one unclouded eye now bright with illness as it followed Urianger around the room. He watched as the elezen tidied the room a little, opening the curtains and window to expel the sickness. Jack shivered, his teeth rattling in his skull as he drew the blanket tighter around himself.

“Fresh air wilt help aid in thy recovery,” said Urianger. Jack whined, sinking under the covers, a veritable oversized ball of oversized fur. Hardly the hero of the realm, Urianger thought to himself in amusement, a smile quirking his lips. Mercifully, Jack was unable to see it, and thus unable to take offense. Not that he meant, it truly- it was merely almost amusing to see someone so strong be brought so low by a simple illness. For that was what it was, he knew, having treated many an ill friend during his Sharlayan days. He fondly recalled Thancred being the worst, bemoaning his lack of a pretty nurse.

“Fucking cold,” Jack mumbled from beneath his mound of blankets. Urianger shook his head sadly, running a hand over the mound in what he hoped was a comforting gesture.

“Then I shall bring you hot tea and soup,” said Urianger. “Worry not, Ladybird. I am an expert in the field of caring for sick loved ones.”

From his burrow beneath the covers, Jack smiled, though he still shivered despite the fever raging through him, turning his burrow into a toasty little oven. What he wouldn’t give to be sitting in front of a fireplace, burning away the summer cold that had so swiftly struck him down. He wondered if Urianger would allow him to do that. Though Jack could quite easily kindle a flame with his black mage powers, he knew that to do so in his current condition would be unwise.

“Ladybird,” Urianger murmured upon returning to the room, running his hand once more over the blankets covering Jack. “Thy tea is ready, however the soup is still boiling.” Being a lover of tea, Urianger always had a pot of it ready to go, though to this brew, he had added a few herbs to aid in soothing sore throats and annoying coughs. It still smelled divine, at least to Urianger, and he’d added a little honey to sweeten the taste. Assuming that Jack could even taste it, anyway.

Slowly, Jack wriggled out from beneath the covers, blinking blearily, his body once more overcome by shivering as he sat up and leaned against the headrest. Yet he could only take this position for a few moments before doubling over, wracked with shivers as his teeth chattered fit to bite his tongue off.

“I c-can’t do much like th-this,” Jack stammered, shivering so violently that his body jerked with spasms. Gods, how could he be so cold, yet so unbearably warm at the same time?

“Then I shall close the window, but only for now,” said Urianger, crossing the room to do just that, leaving Jack’s large mug of tea (it was almost the size of a bowl) on the nightstand as he closed the windows. He left the curtains open, though, to fill the room with light. Jack sniffled, still rubbing his arms in an attempt to get the warmth to sink in.

“Thanks,” Jack croaked, his voice still hoarse. Urianger picked up the mug, holding it out to Jack so that he could drink without worrying about his trembling hands dropping it and spilling the beverage into his lap.

“I advise you to drink every drop,” said Urianger, sitting on the bed close to Jack. As Jack drank slowly, mindful of his sore throat, Urianger held the mug in both hands, uncaring of the heat of the beverage. A little suffering was a small price to pay to ease Jack’s suffering.

Once the mug had been emptied, Urianger placed it on the nightstand and moved his hand to Jack’s neck while Jack licked his lips for any tea residue. Some had been caught in his whiskers, which he swiftly cleaned away with his tongue.

Now, Urianger directed healing magic into Jack’s throat, mending the damage from his cough as best he could. It seemed to help, the swelling reduced enough for Jack to swallow comfortably.

“Would that you could cure my cold that easily,” Jack croaked, clearing his throat with only a slight wince this time.

“I quite agree,” Urianger murmured, nodding. “Alas, through the many friends that I hath aided back to full health with soups and herbal remedies and teas, I hath yet to discern a spell suitable for curing this illness.”

“Not even an esuna?” Jack asked. Urianger shook his head, then set about plucking up the pillows that they slept on and arranging them behind Jack so that he could sit more comfortably while he ate.

“Nay,” said Urianger. “Much to mine own chagrin. Unlike a poison or damaging injury sustained during battle, I cannot so easily expel a virus or other such illness that hath taken root. It must simply pass out of the system on its own. Many a conjurer, scholar, and astrologian hath searched for an easy remedy, yet illnesses persist in being rather tricksome to expel.”

“Pity,” said Jack. “I do feel better now, though. Thank you.” Urianger smiled, a hand gently stroking over Jack’s too-warm cheek.

“Glad am I to see that thou art feeling better,” said Urianger. “I believe that the ache in thy throat should have lessened significantly enough to eat, now.”

“Definitely,” said Jack, nodding. “Just wish I could taste something. You know I love your cooking.”

“I do know that well,” said Urianger, giving him a gentle smile. “I shall return with thy soup.”

Jack settled back against the pillows that Urianger had propped up behind him, trying to fight a losing battle with keeping his eyes open.

When Urianger returned to the room, a bowl of warm soup held in his hands, he was unsurprised to find that Jack’s eyes had slid shut again, his breathing evened out.

Smiling, Urianger set the bowl of soup on the nightstand, pushing Jack’s mane back from his forehead, frowning at the heat that radiated from his boyfriend. Though most men could be difficult patients, fighting their carer every ilm of the way, Jack loved his boyfriend too much for that. He did grumble, certainly, but he couldn’t fight anything in this state. And he certainly couldn’t disagree with Urianger’s treatment of him.

Yet he did still grumble when Urianger woke him gently.

“I fell asleep,” Jack murmured, his eyes still half-closed.

“Aye, you did,” said Urianger. “Sleep is certainly what is most needed for fighting an illness, no matter how small. Yet you need food as well as rest.”

“I know,” said Jack. He yawned, grimacing at the strain it put on his abused throat. Urianger watched, pained, as Jack rubbed his throat, soon placing his own hand there to weave more healing magic so that Jack would not be in too much pain while he ate.

“Wouldst thou like me to feed thee?” Urianger asked, already picking up the soup bowl. Jack didn’t fail to notice that it was twice the size of his mug, and smiled even as he nodded.

“If you wouldn’t mind,” said Jack. “You know that normally I’d feed myself but… my arms feel leaden.”

“If one doth not rest, one shall be forced to rest by thine own body,” said Urianger.

“A lesson you learned the hard way?” Jack asked. Urianger smiled.

“I fondly recall weeks following examinations or projects at the Academy in Sharlayan being filled with many a student requiring the aid of a skilled healer,” said Urianger. “Whether as a result of using too much aether, or simply a result of not taking care of their bodies as they should have in the desire to study.” Jack chuffed a laugh, though it still hurt a little to do so.

“There’s a reason that Solar usually takes some time off after battles,” said Jack, leaning forward so that Urianger could more easily feed him.

“Pray tell, how many battles did it take you to figure that out?” Urianger asked, a spoon full of soup held above the steaming food. Jack gave a sheepish smile.

“Not as many as you might expect, and yet still too many,” said Jack. Urianger smiled, feeding the soup to his boyfriend, watching with tender eyes as Jack smiled at the pleasant taste and warmth of the soup. It was a simple one, without too much chewing needed, the vegetables and meats soft enough for Jack to simply swallow, no matter how much or how little he was able to chew them.

“This soup was actually created after the completion of one such large project,” said Urianger. “Many study sessions and training sessions led to many ill and fatigued friends.”

“You among them?” Jack asked after enjoying his first spoonful on the soup.

“Aye,” said Urianger, giving a slight incline of his head. “I am not so proud as to tell falsehoods about mine own failings. Not anymore.” He had learned from that, as they both had. Jack gave him a sad look, to which Urianger smiled and held out another spoonful of soup. “Pray do not fall into despair over mine own failings. Thou knowest as well as I that I do not allow such things to consumeth me. Not too much, at any rate.”

“I do,” said Jack. “And I’m glad. I just still worry, since I love you so much.” Urianger’s heart swelled at Jack’s words, though he fought to prevent those feelings from overflowing. He could not well look after Jack if he was falling prey to the very thing that he had warned Jack against.

“This soup was originally created to accompany Archon loaf,” said Urianger, the change of subject lessening the burden. “I thought of it as a substitute, of sorts. Many prefer this to the loaf, though.”

“I can see why,” said Jack. Though he’d tried some of the loaf out of curiosity, he hadn’t quite been able to hide the disgust that he’d felt over the too-large bite that he’d taken of it. “No offense.” Urianger laughed.

“None taken, I assure thee,” said Urianger, holding out more soup for Jack. “Though it doth contain far more water as the broth, this soup still contains many vegetables and fish that would normally go into the loaf.”

“You’ve made healthy taste good,” said Jack, smiling at him, his strength returning with each spoonful of soup. “Mothers the realm over should be seeking you out.”

“Then let us not allow this secret to escape, hm?” Urianger asked. Jack smiled at him, knowing the jest for what it was.

“Can’t have everyone clamouring for your attention,” said Jack. He held his hands out, Urianger carefully placing the bowl into them, though he still held it just in case.

“Nay,” said Urianger as Jack brought the bowl to his lips, sipping larger mouthfuls of the soup and chewing what he could while his nose made breathing difficult. He sniffled between sips, glad to finally be able to breathe again. “Such company would be ill-advised.”

Urianger hadn’t really expected Jack to finish the soup, truly, yet he set the bowl aside and licked his whiskers clean of the residue. Urianger picked up the empty bowl, taking it to the kitchen before returning with a box of tissues to set beside his boyfriend.

“Wouldst thou like more soup?” Urianger asked. Jack shook his head after considering for a few moments.

“I probably shouldn’t push it,” said Jack. “But I am feeling much better. Thank you.” Urianger smiled, a flush spreading over his cheeks.

“Glad am I to hear it,” said Urianger. “Thou may rest now. May I open the windows for fresh air?”

“Must you?” Jack asked, ears folded back at the idea of being so cold again. Urianger sighed.

“Perhaps it would be best for you to rest a while longer, and receive fresh air once you feel well enough to venture outside again,” said Urianger.

“Thank you,” said Jack, ears perking up again as he smiled at his boyfriend. He sniffled, then moved to pluck a tissue from the box. “You don’t need to stay in here, I don’t want to make you sick too.”

“I shall be nearby, however,” said Urianger. “Rest, Jack, and know that you may call for me if you requireth anything.”

“I will,” said Jack. “I love you.”

“I shall be in the next room, yet know that I love you too,” said Urianger. He bent to place a kiss on Jack’s sweaty forehead, amazed at how swiftly he had become accustomed to the smell of illness and wet fur. And yet, when one was in love, was it not the custom to overlook less desirable traits?

Urianger glanced back at Jack one more time before leaving the room, seeing that his boyfriend had wrapped himself in his blankets, looking quite warm and comfortable. Smiling, Urianger walked around the bed and drew the curtains closed, his heart warming at the murmured thanks that he received from his boyfriend. Jack would get better, he knew this. And he would be spoiled every step of the way.


End file.
